A leading insurer is set to give new customers even more added value on their home insurance with news that they are offering 12 months cover for the price of 10.

Direct Line insurance said that from the beginning of March to the end of April customers who want to switch their cover to them will be eligible for the offer. The company said that the deal will help struggling families who are tempted to cut down on their insurance outlays in these tough economic times to make sure they are fully covered.

In a specially commissioned poll, the insurer found that Brit’s least favourite months were January and February, which Andrew Lowe, the head of home insurance at Direct Line put down to "the classic British obsession with the weather, as May and June came in last in our research on the nation's least favourite months".

"By taking out a new home insurance policy with Direct Line you'll save the cost of two months of home insurance on a year's policy, so you'll spend less cash and still be insuring your home,” added Lowe.